Bowling alley sanding machine



Nov. 29, 1949 J. w. BRYAN BOWLING ALLEY SANDING MACHINE Filed July 8, 1947 INVENTOR. JOHN W. BRYAN I BY Him Attorneys Patented Nov. 29, 1949 UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE BOWLING ALLEY SANDING MACHINE John W. Bryan, Traphill, N. 0.

Application July 8, 1947, Serial N0. 759,513

2 Claims. (01. 51-176) chine which is very simple in construction, easy to use and efiicient in operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved surfacing machine for bowling alleys which involves only a few easily assembled parts, which is reliable in performance and which is automatic in operation.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan View of a bowling alley on which is positioned a surfacing machine constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical cross-sectional view taken on line 2--2 of Figure 3.

- Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the surfacing machine of Figure 1. V

Figure 4 is an enlarged elevational detail view of an alternative front supporting member for the surfacing machine carriage of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings, lI designates a conventional bowling alley having a bowling floor surface I2 and the side channels I3, I3. The surfacing machine comprises a frame I4 extending substantially for the transverse width of floor surface I2 and in the rear portion of which is transversely journaled a sanding drum I5. The rear end of frame I4 is supported on a transverse roller I6 which is journaled in vertically adjustable bearing brackets H, H, depending from the frame, and the front end of the frame is supported on a longitudinally extending bracket member If; secured to the front end of the frame by an upstanding central arm I9 carried by said bracket member. Journaled to the forward and rear ends of bracket member IB are wheels hearing on the bowling alley floor surface I2.

Mounted on the forward portion of frame I4 is an electric motor 2| having a transversely extending shaft 22. Secured to shaft 22 is a pulley 23 which is coupled by a belt 24 to a pulley 25 carried by the shaft of sanding drum I5. Mounted on the frame I4 adjacent the sanding drum is a suction pump 26 having an intake housing 2'5 extending transversely across the frame forward 1y adjacent the sanding drum surface and having a dust bag 28 detachably secured to the outlet conduit thereof, said bag being supported by suitable detachable fastening means secured to an upstanding post member 29 carried by frame I4. The shaft of pump 26 carries a pulley 36 which is coupled by a belt 3| to a pulley 32 secured to motor shaft 22.

Journaled transversely in the forward end portion of frame I4 is a shaft 33 carrying a drum 34 on which is wound a cable 35. Cable 35 extends over a pulley 36 journaled in brackets 37 carried by a plate member 38 secured to the wall at the front of the alley. Cable 35 extends rearwardly from pulley 36 over a pulley 39 journaled in the front end of frame I 4 and thence forwardly to a hook 40 carried by plate member 38, to which hook said cable is secured. Shaft 33 carries a pulley 4| which is coupled by a belt 42 to a pulley 43 carried on motor shaft 22.

Secured to the sides of frame I4 at its rear portion are depending arms 44, 44 on which are journaled guide rollers 45, 45 engaging the inner side walls of the channels I3, l3 so as to guide the frame I4 longitudinally with respect to the alley floor surface. v The cable 35 has adjustably secured thereto a stop member 46 which is adapted to engage the operating button of a switch 41 depending from the forward end of frame I4 rearwardly adjacent pulley 39. Switch 4! is normally closed and is in series with motor 2 I. Said switch is adapted to be opened when its operating button is engaged by stop member 46 at the desired forward limiting position of the frame I4, thereby automatically opening the motor circuit at this position of the frame. By positioning stop member 46 at different positions on cable 35 said forward limiting position may be varied.

In operation, motor 2| drives the sanding drum I5, the suction pump 26 and the cable winding drum 34 simultaneously, causing the frame I4 to be moved forwardly over the alley floor surface I 2 while said floor surface is smoothed by sanding drum I5. The sand and wood dust is drawn into bag 28 by the suction pump 26. When stop member 46 engages the actuating button of switch 47 the machine stops and may be then reset to repeat the sanding operation on the same alley or may be moved to another alley for smoothing the floor thereof.

Instead of employing the elongated front supporting bracket member I8, the front end portion of frame I4 may be supported on a single-wheeled bracket 48 having the floor engaging wheel 49,

as shown in Figures 4 and 5, said bracket 48 bein adapted to be connected to the frame M in place of the arm [9.

By removing the depending arms 44, 44 carrying the guide rollers 45, 45 the machine may be employed for sanding other than bowling alley floor surfaces.

The rate of movement of the frame may be varied by employing diiferent pulley arrangements for the cable 35.

While a specific embodiment ofa floor surfacing machine has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications Within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention other than as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A bowling alley sanding machine. comprisns e in e 193! herieeet illr ii eeeea e te' a e tin heir. etatetl 31 1425 r a the i i r ar end, an eateei e tre s: e e the et v. e n a ed tre erer. 1y exter'ljdine tet r'tee a tee e en. the rear end th freitte leee etn lter tr a and ar a ed tr l e qne r h aeeiee. da a to adjust the roller vertically with'respect to the fretme and in e e- 1 311W her eenta len tt iet i i ant w ee ed t eel et slieeeee ate: e h he r ar en of. e t rate a d a upstanding m when e naettea w t he frame '59 'i eir fet t st. til-t. he, e ler is adjusted vertically to bring the sanding intdc'ontactwi tl the" alley, a suctiondevice n e' e the f am adi ee i e t te e l rq l e of fs e tqn e eel ee d e ter a l by h m a bl e metete w en the rame nearits forwardend, a cable woundupon the reel and adapted for attachment to a stationary ob;- Jeet n en f the t a: a: te li teen Plhimt W e e 531??? Q 2???- tion, a single motor mounted upon the; frame between the sanding drum andcablareel; driving connecting means between-the single motor-, sue-f tion device and cable reel, and-depending; guide rollers secured to the sides of the frame its rearend to engagethe side channels of'the alley for guiding the machine, the motor rotating the sanding drum in a direction opposite to the direction of travel of the machine.

2. A bowling alley sanding machine, comprising a unitary low horizontal frame, a horizontal sanding drum rotatably mounted upon the frame near its rear end and extending transversely of the frame, an elongated transversely extending roller secured to the rear end of the frame and disnosed geneath the tramp and rearwardly of and near the drum, means to, adjust the roller vertically, a low horizontal elongated wheeled bracket disposed beneath the frame near its forward end and eggtending longitudinally of the frame from a point substantially at the longiof the frame to a point forwardly of the frame and pivotally connected with the frame to permit the frame to tilt when the roller vertically adjusted to bring the drum into contact with the alley, a suction device mounted tee he. ga e. ad ac nt t0. t e toward sid of he. ime}. an mendin a sin l demen d lus intake QQRQQPQXQQQQ. lg lee i uqina lv of e m er sut aetial y ent re eng h; cable ??1' HQQ F-WQ. 19 the; ram wa d en an here ts. a ran dtrans erse of the frame, asingle motor mounted upon the rame a 2 time e a er and arra pl tth drum. i o 1 b lt n e he ar a u he t the. et r w t e. um re a d ete ee v e te e r te t same, and" a cable wound upon the reel and having a free end e et eehmee te a a e rvie ea on d ei the 1 2? the c b being" ea e to advance the machine during the sanding operation; the motor driving the in a direc} tion opposite to the direction of travel ofthe e ie JQl-I-N w. BRYAN.

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